Welcome to Small Town Texas Law Enforcement

Now, just because I've received 2 tickets in the same week a couple of years ago doesn't mean I'm biased on my position on small town cops.

Indeed, I fully support these brave men and women of the speeding ticket. In Texas, after all, we don't have state income taxes - just absurdly high property taxes...municipalities need to make their money some way! Which brings me to my small story, which I believe, solidifies my conclusion that small town Texas officers are really just another revenue stream for their cities.

I was driving the Ladies to daycare and took the normal route. I exited the freeway - and came to a screeching halt...

20 minutes later I decided to try and circumnavigate whatever was holding the line up. By this time I should have been sitting down to another satisfying day on the job.

In all candor I didn't even mind being stopped for an additional 5 minutes by a crosswalk guard who was bent on stopping all traffic coming close to a school as there was no doubt that I was going to beat whatever issue was going on back on the main road. However, when I swung around on the cross street to try and merge back to the main street I found another road currently being used as an involuntary parking lot.

As the minutes laboriously passed, and the steam began pouring out of my ears I discovered what the problem was.

True, an accident was semi-blocking the main intersection - but that (in my mind) wasn't the real problem. The true culprits were the 4 officers acting like Johnny Bench.

In my demented mind I envisioned an officer standing at the center of the intersection directing traffic flow at certain time intervals to try and reduce the overall impact of the accident until the cars could be moved. This is, after all, how Los Angeles County Sheriffs manage things; and I would know since 3 of my brothers-in-law are deputies.

Instead they were allowing the motorists to work around the accident during the light intervals. Seems to make sense, right? Except this light is notoriously short on both sides. So what you end up with is a parking lot no matter which direction you looked!

Honestly, let's just stop the charade and call these folks what they are - TAX COLLECTORS